layla’s 9th birthday

the day before layla turned 9, she got to take a couple of friends with her, downtown, to have lunch at red robin. she loves to do this because then daddy can join us and then just go back to work after lunch. they clapped and sang and brought her the ‘mile high mud pie’ for dessert. holy cow!

we did our best, but it was HUGE!

then daddy went back to work and I took the girls to ride the great wheel!

it was a little freaky, but the view was amazing!

hello stadiums, ferries, mt. rainier, puget sound…

hello space needle!

after all that, we went back to the house and played awhile before we had to take one friend home. the other was spending the night. after dinner, dave took the boys out shopping to get birthday gifts while the girls played some dance central on the xbox and then we walked the dog.

and that’s when everything derailed…

on the way back from shopping, micah barfed all over the back seat of the car.

and so… sleepover guest had to be sent home and layla was devastated, convinced that micah being sick was going to ruin her birthday.

she dried her tears and forced a smile for her ‘last day to be 8’ picture.

fortunately, micah had no further episodes and seemed fine in the morning, although I kept him quiet and upstairs as long as I was able to…

layla was appeased by eating her birthday lucky charms and getting to open her present from the friend who got sent home.

and then she made her birthday cake all by herself.

she was quite proud!

after birthday dinner of french toast, she got to open presents.

she was very excited to get “julie’s pajamas” from gramma laurie. very!

it was like 90* out, but she insisted on wearing them.

and then we had cake.

can’t believe we have a 9 year old!

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first day of school

so, we started school today. this is a big deal because it is OUR first day of official homeschooling. you know, here. at home. most everyone reading this is already aware of the fact that shane has been homeschooled since first grade, but that he has spent the majority of that ‘school’ time, with my mother as his ‘teacher’. this was a fine arrangement, she was willing and more than qualified, and he was learning. but for a variety of reasons, not the least of which being my mother’s current cancer issues, it had become clear that it was time for me to take over. AND,with layla being 4 now, i really wanted to do a little bit more preschool stuff with her. being a little bit of a chicken flake, i (with much urging from my loving husband) decided the best route to go would be with a packaged curriculum. i figured it would be the most time-effective way to cover what we needed to cover, and be somewhat dummy-proof, but at the same time, having the option to supplement with as much

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rachel's continued ramblings

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